Cordless telephone system

• US 4,882,746 A
• Filed: 03/17/1988
• Issued: 11/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kyushu Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Matsushita Communication Industrial Co Ltd (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masatoshi Shimada
• Inventors: Shimada, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lev, Robert
• Application Number:
  US07/169,466
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 379/61, 379/62, 379/63
• US Class Current: 455/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/65 Recording arrangements for recording a message from the calling party in the exchange H04M3/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72505 Radio link set-up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72513 On hold, intercom or transfer communication modes

Abstract

A cordless telephone system has a master unit connected to a telephone line and having a radio transceiver and a plurality of sub-units having radio transceivers and transmittable to and receivable from the telephone line through the master unit. Speech from the telephone line can be transferred between any sub-units, and speech by press-to-talk system is enabled between any sub-units through the master unit. A multi-purpose controller is provided in the master unit to enable control of an equipment by dialing from a sub-unit. For example, a tape recorder is operated, an automatic response/record function is operated, an interphone function is operated, a call from the telephone line can be directed to any sub-unit by a signal from the sub-unit, and all sub-units can be simultaneously or sequentially called from the telephone line. In the speech between sub-units by the press-to-talk system, signals representing start and end of the speech are generated by the sub-unit to control holding and release of an external telephone line of a master unit repeater so that speech with the external line is restored immediately after the end of the speech between the sub-units. When one sub-unit is in speech, other sub-units cannot hear the speech.

Claims

1. A cordless telephone system comprising:

a master unit connected to a telephone line and having a radio transceiver;

at least one sub-unit having a radio transceiver and which is capable of transmitting and receiving speech to and from the telephone line through the master unit; and

control means responsive to a control signal from said sub-unit, said control means including at least one of;

transfer control means for permitting transfer of speech on said telephone line from one sub-unit to another sub-unit, speech control means for permitting speech between sub-units through the master unit, and equipment control means for controlling equipment other than the telephone line by said sub-unit.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a tape recorder having the functions of automatic telephone answering and recording and reproducing and wherein said equipment includes switching means for connecting an output of said tape recorder to a modulator input terminal of said transceiver and said equipment control means includes means for enabling said switching means in response to a predetermined signal sent from said sub-unit.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one intercom unit connected to said master unit, and wherein said equipment includes means for connecting said sub-unit and said intercom unit through said master unit and said equipment control means includes means for enabling said connecting means in response to a predetermined signal sent from said sub-unit.

2. A cordless telephone system adapted to provide two-way communication between a master unit and plural sub-units, comprising:

a coupling unit;

a radio unit including a normally-on master unit receiver and an normal-off master unit transmitter coupled to said coupling unit;

means for connecting said coupling unit to an external telephone line;

a first detector for detecting a calling signal on said telephone line;

means for connecting said telephone line to said first detector, said first detector actuating a first power supply unit in response to said calling signal from said telephone line;

means for connecting said first power supply unit to an encoder unit which receives operative power from said first power supply unit and produces an output signal according to an input signal applied thereto;

means for connecting said encoder to said transmitter;

means for supplying a DC working power output from said first power supply unit to said transmitter;

a first signal decoder for receiving and decoding a predetermined signal transmitted from one of said sub-units;

means for connecting said first signal decoder to a first control unit which actuates a line relay for making and breaking said telephone line by its contacts and which supplies DC working power to said transmitter;

a second signal decoder;

means for connecting said second signal decoder to a second control unit which provides DC working power to said transmitter and a control signal to said encoder unit;

means for connecting said master unit receiver to said second control unit; and

,

means for connecting said second control unit to said encoder whereby, when a sub-unit A sends a predetermined signal to said master unit, said predetermined signal actuates said second signal decoder and sequentially said second control unit and said encoder to cause a calling signal for a sub-unit B to be transmitted from said transmitter, enabling said sub-unit A to call said sub-unit B.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising:

a second switching means for connecting an output of said receiver to an input of said transmitter, said second switching means being controlled by said second control unit and permitting an output signal of said receiver to pass to an input of said transmitter, according to a signal applied to said second signal decoder, whereby said sub-unit A sends a signal to said master unit, said second signal decoder is actuated, and then said second control unit is actuated, and said line relay is not actuated, because there if no signal received and decoded by said first decoder, enabling a press-to-talk communication to be carried on between sub-units independently of said telephone line.

4. A system as claimed in above claim 2, wherein said first control unit starts to operate by a predetermined starting signal, said first control unit having a self-hold function and being reset by a predetermined reset signal.

5. A system as claimed in above claim 2, wherein said second control unit starts to operate by a predetermined starting signal and has a self-hold function and is reset by a predetermined reset signal.

8. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second signal decoder includes a rectifier for a carrier signal which provides a switching signal from said carrier signal.

9. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second signal decoder includes a resonant circuit.

10. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second signal decoder includes an electromagnetically vibrating member.

11. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second signal decoder includes a detector for a pulse code signal.

12. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second signal decoder includes a detector for a phase shift signal.

13. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second signal decoder includes a multichannel decoder.

14. A system as claimed in claim 2, further including a first switching unit which is controlled by said second control unit, means for connecting said first switching unit between an output terminal of said receiver and an input terminal of said coupler, a second switching unit which is controlled by said second control unit, and means for connecting said second switching unit between an output terminal of said receiver and an input terminal of said transmitter;

whereby said first switching unit is normally closed and said second switching unit is normally open respectively according to the operation to the operation of said second control unit.

15. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said reset signal is a normal carrier signal.

16. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said reset signal is a normal carrier signal.

17. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first control unit has a delay function.

18. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first control unit has a self-hold function.

19. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second control unit has a delay function.

20. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second control unit has a self-hold function.

21. A system as claimed in claim 2, further including means for connecting said second control unit to an external control apparatus which includes switching means operated by an output of said second control unit.

22. A cordless telephone system adapted for providing two-way communication between a master unit and plural sub-units, comprising:

a matching unit, and a radio unit including a normally-on master unit receiver and a normally-off master unit transmitter coupled to said matching unit;

means for connecting said matching unit to an external telephone line;

a first detector for detecting a calling signal on said telephone line;

means for connecting said telephone line to said first detector, said first detector actuating a first power supply unit in response to said calling signal on said telephone line;

means for connecting said first power supply unit to an encoder unit which produces an output signal according to a signal applied from said first power supply unit and which supplies said output signal to said transmitter;

means for supplying a DC working power output from said first power supply unit to said transmitter;

a first signal decoder for receiving and decoding a predetermined signal transmitted from a sub-unit;

means for connecting said first signal decoder to a first control unit which actuates a line relay for making and breaking said telephone line by its contacts and which supplies DC working power to said transmitter;

a second signal decoder; and

means for connecting said receiver to said second decoder, said second signal decoder supplying a signal output to a second control unit which makes said second control unit send a signal to said transmitter, said second control unit providing DC working power to said transmitter and activation said line relay;

said second control unit further including means for initiating operation of said second control unit by a predetermined starting signal and for resetting by a predetermined reset signal, whereby a sub-unit A can hold said relay in an off-hook position by sending a predetermined starting signal and then call up a sub-unit B for transferring a call on said external telephone line, so that said sub-unit B handles said call and communicates with said external telephone line.